Ion implantation apparatus and a method for fluid cooling

ABSTRACT

A hydrogen ion implanter for the exfoliation of silicon from silicon wafers uses a large scan wheel carrying 50+ wafers around its periphery and rotating about an axis. In one embodiment, the axis of rotation of the wheel is fixed and the wheel is formed with tensioned spokes supporting a rim carrying the wafer supports. The spokes may be used for carrying cooling fluid to and from the wafer supports. Detachable connections in the cooling fluid conduits in the vacuum chamber may comprise tandem seals with an intermediate chamber between them which can be vented outside the vacuum chamber, or independently vacuum pumped. In one embodiment, a ribbon beam of hydrogen ions is directed down on a peripheral edge of the wheel. The ribbon beam extends over the full radial width of wafers on the wheel.

Related Applications

This application is related to Glavish et al., U.S. patent applicationSer. No. ______, “Ion Implantation Apparatus and Method,” (attorneydocket number TWINP023/TCA-023z), Glavish et al., U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. ______, “Ion Source Assembly for Ion ImplantationApparatus and a Method of Generating Ions Therein,” (attorney docketnumber TWINP024/TCA-023w), Ryding et al., U.S. patent application Ser.No. ______, “Ion Implantation Apparatus,” (attorney docket numberTWINP030/TCA-023y) each filed on even date herewith, owned by theassignee of the present application, and hereby incorporated byreference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to ion implantation apparatus to implant ionsinto planar workpieces. Specific applications of the ion implantationapparatus include the production of lamina of crystalline semiconductormaterial, such as silicon. Such silicon laminae may be used for theproduction of photovoltaic cells.

1. Background information

As the demand for renewable energy based on renewable sources increases,the implementation of photovoltaic technology has expanded dramaticallyin recent years. Nevertheless, a way of forming crystalline siliconbodies optimized for photovoltaic cells has remained elusive.

Crystalline silicon wafers adapted to bear photovoltaic cells areconventionally obtained by slicing a silicon ingot. This process, whichtypically yields a silicon wafer thicker than 150 μm, wastes asubstantial amount of silicon by consuming up to 50% of the silicon bodyin kerf loss and delivering a much greater thickness than is needed foruseful photovoltaic devices.

Thinner silicon laminae have been made by exfoliation of a film byheating after high-dose ion implantation. The films produced this wayhave found application in forming silicon-on-insulator structures buthave been cost-prohibitive for solar cells. Also at thickness well under1 μm, the films may be so thin as to make efficient light-capturingdifficult. Boosting the energy of ion implant could increase the filmthickness, but this adaptation would make the films even more expensiveand less economical for photovoltaic cells.

There is accordingly, a need for a cost-effective way to form siliconbodies optimized for photovoltaic applications.

A known type of ion implantation tool has an ion source which produces abeam containing ions to be implanted. The ion beam is directed through aregion of homogeneous magnetic field in an ion filter to provide spatialseparation between ions in the beam with different momentum over charge(mv/e) ratios. A mass selector slit blocks any unwanted ions and allowsdesired ions to pass, optionally through an electrostatic accelerator,to a process chamber for implantation in semiconductor substrates orwafers. To improve productivity, a batch of wafers may be processedsimultaneously by mounting them round the periphery of a process wheelmounted for rotation about an axis, so that the wafers on the wheel passone after the other through the ion beam. The process wheel axis is atthe same time translated towards and away from the beam to provide a twodimensional mechanical scan of the wafers through the ion beam, toensure all parts of the wafers are implanted, even though the ion beammay have a cross sectional area as it strikes the wafers which issmaller than the wafer area.

One known batch implanter, which is a variant of the above general type,has a large process wheel with a fixed vertical axis and a radiallyscanned ion beam.

A further known type of implantation tool produces a so-called ribbonbeam of ions, having a major dimension sufficient to extend right acrossa single wafer. A ribbon beam arrangement of this kind requires thewafers to be mechanically scanned only in one dimension, transverse tothe ribbon beam plane. This is usually accomplished with a translationalscanning holder carrying a single wafer, so that wafers are implantedserially one at a time. A magnetic mass selecting ion filter is used tobend the ribbon beam transversely to the plane of the ribbon beam, sothat desired ions from the ribbon beam can be selected by a relativelynarrow slit extending parallel to the ribbon beam plane. Alternatively,if the ion beam is bent in the plane of the ribbon, the ribbon isbrought to a focus in the x-direction (the ribbon plane), to passthrough a narrow mass selection slit, before being expanded again andcollimated into a ribbon beam.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the invention provides ion implantation apparatus having avacuum chamber with a chamber wall and a detachable cooling fluidconnection in said vacuum, said detachable fluid connection having aseal structure to prevent cooling fluid leaking into said vacuumchamber; said seal structure comprising first and second seals in tandemforming an intermediate chamber between said tandem seals, and a ventingconduit within said vacuum chamber connecting said intermediate chamberthrough said chamber wall to the exterior of the vacuum chamber. Theventing conduit may be connected to a vacuum pump or vented toatmosphere.

In one embodiment, the ion implantation apparatus further comprises atleast one vacuum port through said chamber wall for evacuation of saidvacuum chamber through said port; a workpiece support in said vacuumchamber for supporting a workpiece to be implanted; a cooling fluidchannel in said workpiece support for cooling fluid to cool a workpieceon said support during implantation; a fluid conduit to supply coolingfluid to said cooling fluid channel from outside said vacuum chamber,said fluid conduit comprising at least one fluid conducting member andat least one said detachable fluid connection to connect to said fluidconducting member.

Then the apparatus may further comprise at least one vacuum pumpconnected to said vacuum port to evacuate said vacuum chamber; and afurther vacuum pump connected to said venting conduit to provideevacuation of said intermediate chamber independently of said vacuumchamber.

In one embodiment, this apparatus comprises a workpiece support wheelmounted for rotation in said vacuum chamber about an axis, said supportwheel having a plurality of said workpiece supports located at a commonradius around a periphery of the wheel, whereby rotation of the wheelpasses workpieces on said supports successively through an implantlocation along a circular scan path defined by said wheel periphery;wherein said workpiece support wheel has a hub mounted for rotationabout said axis; a continuous peripheral annulus providing saidworkpiece supports; and a plurality of spokes providing support for theannulus centered on the hub in a wheel plane normal to said axis, andwherein at least some of said spokes are tubular, and said at least onefluid conducting member is provided by said tubular spokes to carrycooling fluid between said hub and said peripheral annulus for coolingsaid workpieces.

Said peripheral annulus may contain passages for cooling fluid and eachsaid tubular spoke may have a said detachable fluid connection to saidannulus passages. Then, said support wheel may include a venting pipe,providing at least a part of said venting conduit, extending in saidvacuum chamber from said annulus to said hub.

Further, said hub may contain passages for supplying said cooling fluidto and from said spokes, and then each said tubular spoke has a saidfluid connection to one of said hub passages.

In another aspect, the invention provides Ion implantation apparatus forperforming an ion implantation process to implant ions into multipleplanar workpieces, the apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber with avacuum chamber wall at least one vacuum port through the vacuum chamberwall for evacuation of said vacuum chamber through the port; an ion beamgenerator in said vacuum chamber arranged to form, during saidimplantation process, a beam of ions for implanting, said beam beingdirected to an implant location, and a workpiece support wheel mountedfor rotation in said vacuum chamber about an axis, said support wheelhaving a plurality of workpiece supports located around a periphery ofthe wheel, whereby rotation of the wheel passes workpieces upon saidsupports successively through said implant location, said workpiecesupport wheel having a hub mounted for rotation about said axis, acontinuous peripheral annulus providing said workpiece supports, and aplurality of spokes providing support for the annulus centered on thehub in a wheel plane normal to said axis, wherein at least some of saidspokes are tubular to carry cooling fluid between said hub and saidperipheral annulus, and wherein said peripheral annulus containspassages for cooling fluid and each said tubular spoke has a fluidconnection to said annulus passages comprising first and second seals intandem to prevent cooling fluid leaking into said vacuum chamber, saidfirst and second seals forming an intermediate chamber between theseals, and wherein said support wheel includes a venting conduitconnected to said intermediate chamber and extending in said vacuumchamber from said annulus to said hub, for connection therefrom throughsaid chamber wall to the exterior of said vacuum chamber.

In yet a further aspect, the invention provides a method of sealing adetachable cooling fluid connection in the vacuum chamber of an ionimplantation apparatus comprising the steps of providing first andsecond seals in tandem forming an intermediate chamber between saidseals, and vacuum pumping said intermediate chamber separately from theinterior of said vacuum chamber.

Venting or separate vacuum pumping of the intermediate chamber betweentandem seals at a cooling fluid connection in a vacuum chamber canprovide more secure sealing arrangements and reduce loading in thevacuum pumps used to maintain desired vacuum levels in the vacuumchamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Examples of the invention will be described below with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which;

FIG. 1 is a schematic view in elevation and partially cut away, of anion implanter embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the implant wheel of the ion implanter of FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view, partially in section, of the hubof the implant wheel.

FIG. 4 is a view in elevation and in section of the rim of the implantwheel together with a substrate holder mounted thereon.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of part of the wheel rim, takenin section along line Y-Y in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 a is a plan view of a mounting face of the mounting block used inthe wheel rim to mount a substrate holder.

FIG. 6 b is a sectional view of the mounting block taken along line B-Bof FIG. 6 a.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the ion source of the implanter.

FIG. 8 is a schematic sectional view of the ion source of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a plot of magnetic field strength against distance from acenter line of the arc chamber of the ion source in the plane of theextraction slit of the source.

FIG. 10 is a schematic view of the magnet structure used for bending theribbon beam in the ion implanter.

FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 are schematic diagrams illustrating the effect ofthe edges of the homogeneous magnetic field region within the bendingmagnet of an ion implanter.

FIG. 14 is a graphical representation of the conjugate image distanceversus the source/object distance for a typical bending magnet.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the magnet structure of the ionimplanter.

FIG. 16 is a further view of the magnet structure of FIG. 15, but withone set of poles removed for clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of ion implantation apparatus whichis an embodiment of the present invention. Ion implantation is conductedin a vacuum environment and the main operative features of theembodiment are contained within a vacuum chamber. In the illustratedembodiment in FIG. 1, the vacuum chamber is shown in threeinterconnected parts. The first part is a process chamber 10 which has acircular profile when viewed from above in FIG. 1 along the direction ofarrow 11. The process chamber 10 comprising a part spherical lower wallsection 12 and an opposed part spherical upper wall section 13, forminga disc shaped vacuum enclosure which is thickened at the center of thedisc. This process chamber 10 contains a process wheel 14 extending inthe plane of the disc chamber 10 for rotation about a vertical axisaligned substantially with the center of the disc. Substrates forprocessing are carried in the process chamber 10 about the periphery ofthe wheel 14, as will be described and illustrated later in greaterdetail.

A second part of the vacuum chamber is contained in a high voltageenclosure 15 and is constituted by an ion source structure 16 and a massselection magnet structure 17. A beam of ions desired for implantation(in one embodiment, H⁺ ions) is produced in the ion source structure 16and directed into the magnet structure 17. The magnet structure 17 iseffective to bend the ion beam, allowing unwanted ions in the beam to befiltered from the continuing beam which is directed towards the processchamber 10. The ion source and mass selection structures 16 and 17 willbe described in greater detail later herein.

A third part of the vacuum chamber is constituted by an accelerator tube18 which interconnects the high voltage part of the vacuum chamberwithin the high voltage enclosure 15 and the process chamber 10. Theaccelerator tube 18 comprises an electrically insulating element toallow the ion source and mass selection structures 16 and 17 to be heldat a very high voltage relative to the process chamber 10. Electrodescontained in the accelerator tube are electrostatically biased toaccelerate the ion beam directed from the mass selection structure 17 tothe required implant energy for delivery to the process chamber 10. Allparts of the vacuum chamber are pumped down by one or more vacuum pumps,one of which is shown schematically in FIG. 1 at 21.

Turning now to FIG. 2, a plan view of the process wheel 14 is shown. Theprocess wheel comprises a hub 20 and a rim 22 connected to the hub 20via a plurality of spokes 24. The rim 22 is formed as a plurality(twelve in this embodiment) of segments 22 a, 22 b . . . 22 l each ofwhich form, in the embodiment of FIG. 2, a 30° arc of the rim.

Each segment of the rim 22 in turn carries a plurality of equidistantlyspaced substrate supports 26, extending radially outwardly from the rimsegments. The process wheel 14 of FIG. 2 thus carries 60 substratesupports 26 around the rim 22. Each of the supports 26 provides a wafersupport surface which is shaped and sized to match the wafer to beprocessed. Importantly, if the wafer to be processed is a 150 mmcircular wafer, the support surfaces of the supports 26 are made ofsimilar size and shape and the diameter of the process wheel is such asto provide a peripheral circumference of at least 60×150 cm so that the60 supports (and 60 wafers on the supports) are accommodated around thewheel periphery without overlapping. Instead of 150 cm circularsupports, other shapes and sizes may be provided to accommodate otherwafer shapes and sizes, but in each case, the process wheel is formedwith a peripheral circumference of at least N*a where N is the number ofwafer supports and a is the smallest width of the wafers to beprocessed. If the wafers are circular, a is the diameter.

An important characteristic of the embodiment is that there are at least50 (60 in this example) wafer supports 26 on the process wheel and theion source and mass selection magnet structures 16 and 17 in combinationwith the accelerator tube 18 provide an ion beam directed at wafers onthe support surfaces 26 of the process wheel which has an energy of atleast 200 keV and an ion current of at least 50 mA. Then the powerdelivered to wafers by the beam is at least 10 kW. By ensuring theprocess wheel can accommodate at least 50 wafers at the same time,spinning the wheel during processing allows this beam power to be sharedbetween the wafers on the wheel so that each wafer receives only as muchpower as can be dissipated or removed without overheating and damagingthe wafer.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the spokes 24 may have a dual purpose.Firstly they extend between the hub 20 and the rim 22 under tension(which tension may be adjusted in the manner of a bicycle wheel, asdetailed below). By holding the spokes 24 under tension, the 12 segments22 a-22 l of the rim 22 are drawn towards the hub 20 and compresstogether circumferentially. Thus the rim 22 is stiffened rotationally bythe tension in the spokes 24. Note that, in the embodiment, the spokes24 are equally spaced around both the hub 20 and rim 22, and, arealigned radially. Axial rigidity between the hub and rim is provided bytensioning the spokes 24 along lines forming an acute angle to the planeof the process wheel 14, as is best seen in FIG. 4 described below. Ifit is desired to increase the rotational stiffness of the process wheel14, then stiffener plates may be employed. Instead, bracing bars may beprovided extending non-radially between the hub 20 and the rim 22. Asymmetrical arrangement of six such bars can be tensioned to providetortional stiffness in both rotational directions. In anotherembodiment, tortional stiffness is provided by non-radial alignment ofthe spokes 24 to form an interlaced pattern in the fashion of awire-spoked bicycle wheel.

The second possible purpose of the spokes is to channel cooling fluidfrom outside of the disc shaped vacuum enclosure, via the hub 20, to therim 22. Cooling fluid at the rim is then channeled to each substratesupport 26 in turn so as to provide cooling for wafers mounted on thesubstrate supports 26, during implantation.

FIG. 3 shows, in partial cutaway, a third angle projection detailing thehub 20. The hub comprises an upper slotted disc 30 and a lower annulus32, separated and supported by a web 34 to form a generally rightcylinder. An upper edge of the web 34 is formed with an upper flange 36and an upper manifold 38 is sandwiched between that upper flange 36 ofthe web 34, and the flat face of the upper slotted disc 30. Likewise thelower edge of the web 34 is formed with a lower flange 40, and a lowermanifold 42 is sandwiched between the lower flange 40 and the lowerannulus 32.

Extending circumferentially around the surface of the upper manifold 38are first and second circular upper channels 44, 46, which are each‘U’-shaped in section in this example. The centers of both circles eachcoincide with the axis of rotation of the process wheel 14 passingthrough the center of the hub 20, but the first upper channel 44 isradially spaced (has a different circle diameter) from the second upperchannel 46. Both channels 44, 46 are formed adjacent the outside edge ofthe upper manifold. The open faces of these channels register withcorresponding internal passages 48, 50 formed within the upper slotteddisc 30. The internal passage 48 in turn registers with the open end ofeach spoke 24 which inserts through an opening in the outercircumferential wall of the hub 20.

In order to create a fluid seal for each spoke 24 to the hub 20, and toallow each spoke 24 to be tensioned, each spoke is formed with a pair ofU-section ‘o’ ring seats 51 a, 51 b that comprise pairs of radial ribsaround the end of the spokes 24. In use, elastomer ‘o’ rings may beseated between each pair of ribs 51 a and 51 b, but these are omitted inthe drawings for clarity. The “o” rings in their respective seats form atandem pair of piston seals between the spoke and interior cylindricalsurfaces of the opening in the hub receiving the end of the spoke.

That face of the ‘o’ ring seat rib which is formed furthest away fromthe end of the spoke acts as a spoke flange 52 with a bearing surfacethat engages with a radially inward face 54 of a corresponding tensionerboss 56. The tensioner boss 56 has a thread (not visible in FIG. 3)formed on its shank. The thread on the shank of each tensioner boss 56cooperates with a corresponding thread formed on the inside of therespective opening in the outer circumferential wall of the hub 20.

In use, to place the spokes 24 under tension, each tensioner boss 56 isrotated clockwise so that it screws into the corresponding threadedopening in the hub 20. This causes the rear face 54 of the tensionerboss 56 to engage against the spoke flange 52 formed by the outer faceof the ‘o’ ring seat 51 b, and to draw the end of the spoke 24 into thehub 20. Adjustment of the tension of multiple spokes 24 may be carriedout in known fashion to ensure uniformity of circumferential compressionaround the rim 22.

An intermediate chamber 53 is formed between the two ‘o’ ring sealsformed by seats 51 a, 51 b. The chamber 53 is connected via the secondinternal passage 50 to the second ‘U’ shaped upper channel 46. Thischannel 46 is in turn pumped by an auxiliary vacuum pump external to thevacuum chamber (which pump is shown schematically at 57 in the FIG. 1)so as to create a vacuum in the intermediate chamber 53. The purpose ofthis is to provide a safety enclosure arrangement, by differentiallypumping so as to avoid cooling water which is pumped around the processchamber 10 at about 40 psi (275 kPa) leaking past the ‘o’ rings in seats51 a, 51 b and into the process chamber 10 which may be held under avacuum of about 10⁻⁴ Pascal.

A similar arrangement is employed to capture and tension spokes 24within the lower annulus 32 of the hub 20; each spoke has a pair of ‘o’ring seats, and the outer face of the ‘o’ ring seat furthest from theend of the spoke provides a bearing surface 52 that engages a rear faceof a corresponding tensioner boss 56. This has exterior threading toengage with a thread in an aperture formed in the outer wall of thelower annulus 32.

The spokes 24 that insert into the upper slotted disc 30 carry coolingfluid between the hub and the rim in a first direction (eg, hub to rim),while the spokes that insert into the lower annulus 32 carry coolingfluid between the hub 20 and rim 22 in the opposite direction (eg, rimto hub). As will be detailed below, this allows cooled fluid to bechanneled from outside the process chamber 10, via the hub 20, to therim (along the upper spokes, for example) and from there to thesubstrate supports 26, where heat caused by ion implantation into wafersupon the substrate supports is conducted into the cooling fluid. Thenthe (heated) cooling fluid is taken away via the (lower) spokes (in thisexample), back to the hub and then away from the process chamber 10 tobe recycled or discarded.

The manner in which (stationary) cooling fluid supply and return lines(not shown in the Figures) are connected to the hub 20, which of courserotates in use, does not form a part of the present invention and thusis not described. Such techniques for passing fluids between stationaryand rotating objects are well known in the art. It will be noted thatthe channels 44, 46 in the upper and lower manifolds 38, 42 extendaround the circumference of the hub 20 so as to form a fluid channelcommon to all 60 of the spokes 24.

Turning now to FIG. 4, a section through the process wheel 14 along theline X-X of FIG. 2 is shown. This represents a close-up section throughthe rim 22 of the process wheel 14 and the substrate support 26.

The rim 22 is formed as segments 22 a . . . 22 l of an annulus, as isbest seen in FIG. 2, and provides mechanical support for the spokes 24.Extending around the circumference of the rim 22 is a plurality ofmounting blocks 60. Each mounting block 60 is affixed at an upper andlower surface to the rim 22. This may be best seen in FIG. 5, whichshows a perspective view of mounting blocks 60 cut away along a midplane as indicated by line Y-Y in FIG. 4. Each mounting block 60 isgenerally rectilinear with a major axis extending in the circumferentialdirection of the rim 22. Each mounting block 60 is, however, spacedcircumferentially from adjacent mounting blocks: that is, the major axisof each block 60 is shorter than 360/N, where N is the number ofsubstrate supports (60 in the example of FIG. 2). As seen in FIG. 4,each mounting block 60 is affixed to one (or across two, as in FIG. 5)of the segments 22 a . . . 22 l of the rim 22 using screws 62 a, 62 b.Alternatively, the mounting blocks 60 could be welded to the rimsegments 22 a . . . 22 l.

Each mounting block 60 serves a number of purposes. Firstly, it provideson a first, radially inwardly directed face, a pair of threadedapertures into which corresponding tensioner bosses 64 are screwed inuse. As with the tensioner bosses 56 that hold the spokes 24 into thehub 20 under tension, the tensioner bosses 64 inserted into the mountingblock 60 each have an axially extending hole through their center toreceive the ends of the spokes 24. Again as with the hub end of thespokes, the rim end of the spokes 24 is provided with first and second‘o’ ring seal seats 66 a, 66 b formed as pairs of radial ribs around thecircumference of the spoke. The ‘o’ rings in these seats 66 a, 66 b(again omitted in the drawings for clarity) provide fluid sealingbetween the spoke 24 and the mounting block 60, in the form of pistonseals.

A radially inner face 68 of the radially inner rib of ‘o’ ring seat 66 babuts against the radially outwardly directed face of the tensioner boss64. Thus, clockwise screwing of the tensioner boss 64 moves thetensioner boss 64 into the threaded aperture in which it sits and, inturn, increases the tension on the spoke 24 by engaging against the face68 and pressing it radially outwardly away from the hub 20.

The ‘o’ rings in seats 66 a, 66 b form between them in use a respectiveintermediate chamber 67 which is connected to a plenum channel 70running circumferentially through each mounting block 60. As best seenin FIG. 5, these plenum channels are interconnected between adjacentblocks 60 around the circumference of the rim by pipe sections 78.

A radially outwardly directed face of each mounting block 60 forms asubstrate support mounting face 72 which is shown in plan view in FIG. 6a. A respective substrate support 26 comprises an arm 82 having aradially inwardly directed planar mounting face which registers and issecured by appropriate bolts (for example) to the mounting face 72 ofthe respective mounting block 60.

The end of the arm 82 of the substrate support 26, distal from themounting block 60, carries a wafer holder 84 which supports, in use, awafer 86. The arm 82 cants the wafer holder 84 at an angle ofapproximately 10° to the plane of the process wheel 14, again as maybest be seen in FIG. 4. In the embodiment, the process wheel rotates inhorizontal plane and centripetal force presses wafers 86 onto waferholders 84 because of the aforementioned cant-angle.

An upper surface of each wafer holder 84, upon which the wafer 86 ismounted in use, is covered in an elastomeric thermally conductivematerial 88. Below the surface of the wafer holder there are formed aplurality of cooling channels 90. These channels 90 communicate, viainternal fluid passages in the arm 82 of the substrate support 26, tothe radially inwardly directed mounting face of the support 26. Thesecooling passages in the arm 82 register with respective passages 92 aand 92 b in the support mounting face 72 of the block 60. The internalpassages within the arm 82 of the substrate support 26 can be seen inFIG. 5 at 94 a and 94 b where they pass through the section in FIG. 5 ofthe bifurcated fingers 82 a and 82 b of the arm 82. The ends of thepassages in the arm 82, where they register with the passages 92 a and92 b in the mounting block 60 can be seen in FIG. 4 at 93 a and 93 b.

Referring again to FIGS. 6 a and 6 b, the connections between thepassages 93 a, 93 b in the arm 82 of the substrate support 26 and thepassages 92 a and 92 b in the block 60, which in turn connect to theends of the tubular spokes 24, are provided with a pair of seals intandem. The inner seals comprise ‘o’ rings fitted in circular ‘o’ ringseats 76 a and 76 b in the mounting block 60. The outer seal for theconnections to both channels 92 a, 92 b at the block 60 comprises asingle larger ‘o’ ring in a race track shaped seat 74. Between the inner‘o’ ring seals in seats 76 a, 76 b, and the single outer seal in therace track shaped seat 74, the mounting face 72 of the block 60 isformed with a depression 96 (best seen the sectional view of FIG. 6 b)forming an intermediate chamber between the tandem seals. Thisintermediate chamber formed by the depression 96 is connected in theblock 60 to the central plenum channel 70 by bores 98 a, 98 b (againbest seen in the sectional view of FIG. 6 b).

In operation of the implanter, the plenum channel 70 is independentlyevacuated, in order to provide a differentially pumped vacuum to theintermediate chambers 67 between the tandem seals between each spoke 24and the mounting block 60, and also the intermediate chamber 96 betweenthe tandem seals for the connection between the mounting block 60 andthe arm 82 of the substrate support 26. The circumferential plenumchannels 70, interconnected by the pipe sections 78, are connected to anindependent vacuum pump 57 (FIG. 1) via three radial vacuum pipes 80(best seen in FIG. 2) extending between the rim of the wheel and the hub20. One such radial vacuum pipe 80 is also shown in FIG. 4 and this pipe80 terminates at the wheel rim in a T junction 81 which interconnectsinto one of the pipe sections 78 between adjacent mounting blocks 60. InFIG. 4, the T junction 81 is shown separated from its neighboringmounting blocks for clarity. The radially inner ends of the vacuum pipes80 are connected at the hub 20 to the vacuum pumping channels within thehub described previously. The vacuum channels within the hub 20 areconnected by means well known in the art through rotary seals to theexterior of the process chamber 13 and to an auxiliary vacuum pump 57(FIG. 1). Importantly, the pump 57 for differential pumping of thecooling fluid seals within the process chamber is separate from thevacuum pump or pumps (including pump 21 in FIG. 1) for evacuating thevarious chambers of the implanter.

More generally, the structure provides a number of detachable coolingfluid connections within the vacuum chamber, in particular the processchamber 10, of the implanter. Such detachable cooling fluid connectionsare provided (i) between the radially inner ends of each spoke 24, whichact as cooling pipes, and cooling fluid passages 48 in the hub 20,

(ii) between the radially outer ends of each spoke 24 and cooling fluidpassages 92 a, 92 b in the mounting blocks 60, and (iii) between thepassages 92 a, 92 b of each said mounting block 60 and the cooling fluidpassages 93 a, 93 b in the arm 82 of the associated substrate support26.

The cooling fluid passages 48 in the hub 20, the spokes 24, the passages92 a, 92 b in the mounting blocks 60, and the passages 93 a, 93 b in thesubstrate support arms 82 are interconnected to provide fluid conduitsto supply cooling fluid to and from cooling fluid channels 90 in thesubstrate support 26. It can be seen, therefore, that these coolingfluid conduits comprise series connected fluid conducting members,including the spokes 24 and the mounting blocks 60.

Each of the aforementioned detachable cooling fluid connectionscomprises first and second seals in tandem forming an intermediatechamber between them. For each of the connections between spokes 24 andthe hub 20, the tandem seals are “o” rings in the “o” ring seats 51 a,51 b forming the intermediate chamber 53. For each of the connectionsbetween spokes 24 and the mounting blocks 60, the tandem seals are “o”rings in the “o” ring seats 66 a, 66 b forming the intermediate chamber67. For each of the connections between the passages 92 a, 92 b of themounting blocks 60 and the passages 93 a, 93 b of the substrate supportarm 82, the tandem seals are “o” rings in the respective inner “o” ringseats 76 a, 76 b and the larger “o” ring in the outer race track shaped“o” ring seat 74, forming the intermediate chamber (depression) 96.

The intermediate chambers are connected through the vacuum chamber wallto the exterior by a venting conduit. In the hub, this venting conduitcomprises the channels 46 communicating with intermediate chambers 53via passages 50.

In the rim, this venting conduit comprises the circumferential plenumchannels 70 in the blocks 60, which are connected to the intermediatechambers 67 and (via passages 98 a, 98 b) to the intermediate chambers(depressions) 96. The venting conduit further comprises theinterconnecting pipe sections 78 and vacuum pipes 80 extending radiallyfrom the rim to the hub 20 which are in turn connected at the hub, viachannels in the hub, through rotary seals to the exterior of the vacuumchamber.

In the above described embodiment, the venting conduit is connected toindependent vacuum pump 57 to maintain a vacuum in the intermediatechambers of the tandem seals, and ensure removal of any cooling fluidleakage before it can leak into the process chamber 10 of the vacuumchamber. It may not be necessary to vacuum pump the intermediatechambers, and in some embodiments it may be sufficient simply to use theventing conduit to vent the intermediate chambers to atmosphere. Inanother embodiment, duplicate venting conduits may be provided to enablea dry purging gas to be pumped through the intermediate chambers,thereby reducing the risk of cooling fluid (typically water) fromleaking into the interior of the process chamber 10.

Referring again to FIG. 4, behind the substrate supports 26 mounted ontheir respective mounting blocks 60 around the periphery of the wheelthere is a continuous annular baffle 99. This annual baffle collects anyion beam which bypasses the wafer holders 84 as the wheel rotates duringthe implanting process. In this way, the substantial power, acombination of relatively high current and high energy, of the beam isdistributed around the annular baffle with consequent distribution ofthermal energy from the absorbed beam.

As discussed previously, an important feature of this embodiment of theinvention is that the scan wheel 14 rotates about an axis which isfixed, and the beam projected onto the wheel periphery to implant wafersmoving through the implant position as the wheel spins, is a ribbon beamhaving a major dimension which is aligned radially with respect to thewheel axis and has a length which is equal to or greater than the radialextent of wafers mounted on the wafer supports at the wheel periphery.This ribbon beam can be regarded as fixed in the sense that the beam isnot scanned to extend implant coverage over the substrate. However, asmall amount of positional jitter may be introduced in the plane theribbon beam in order to smooth out any small scale non-uniformities inthe beam across the ribbon. Such jitter may be periodic with a periodwhich is short compared to the duration of a total implant, and thespatial amplitude of the jitter is small compared to the length of theribbon beam cross-section.

For practical purposes, the smallest wafer size likely to be useful inthe desired process is at least a 100 mm in diameter (assuming acircular wafer). Non-circular wafers are also contemplated and these areavailable in the general form of a square or a square with rounded orclipped corners. In any case, if the greatest radial dimension of wafersmounted on the wheel periphery is 100 mm, then the major dimension ofthe ribbon beam in the radial direction must be in excess of 100 mm.Furthermore, it is desirable to ensure that the H⁺ ions are implantedinto the wafers uniformly over the wafer area, so that there is a dosagevariation over the wafer which is preferably less than 10%. Greateruniformity can also be desirable in order to create a processingefficiency and to minimize the risk of damage to exfoliated laminae.

In order to provide a ribbon beam projected onto the wafers in theprocess chamber 10 which has a major cross-sectional dimension in excessof 100 mm, it is convenient to ensure that the beam extracted from theion source 16 also is formed as a ribbon with a major dimension ofcomparable size.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate an embodiment of ion source which may form theion source 16 of the ion implanter described herein. FIG. 8 is asectional view of the ion source of FIG. 7, with the section taken alongthe beam axis of the ion source and in the plane of the extracted ribbonbeam. Importantly, in FIG. 1, the beam 100 extracted from the ion source16 is formed as a ribbon in the plane of the paper, so that the magneticfilter structure 17 in FIG. 1 bends this beam substantially through aright-angle, also in the plane of the paper, that is to say in theribbon beam plane. Then the resulting ribbon beam 101, now containingonly desired H⁺ ions, emerging from the magnetic filter 17 has its majordimension aligned radially with respect to the rotational axis of thewheel 14 as desired.

The structure of the ion source illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 will be, inmany respects, known to those familiar with this art. An arc chamber 102is mounted at one end of a mounting cylinder 103, which is in turnmounted to a left hand end (in FIG. 8) of an insulting bushing 104. Theright end of the cylindrical insulting bushing 104 is connected to acylindrical element 105, which forms part of the vacuum chamber of thedevice. The cylindrical element 105 supports at its right hand end anarrangement 106 for moveably supporting extraction electrodes 107. Theextraction electrodes 107 are illustrated apparently “floating” in FIG.7 for clarity. The cylindrical element 105 forms a first tubular partwhich may be made of non-ferromagnetic metal, and the insulating bushing104 forms a second tubular part which is electrically insulating. Thefirst and second tubular parts are connected end to end and the arcchamber 102 is mounted on an end of the second tubular part remote fromsaid metal first tubular part.

In operation, a low pressure arc discharge is formed within the arcchamber 102 of the ion source, by applying an arc voltage between thebody of the arc chamber 102 and opposed cathodes 108. The cathodes 108are biased negatively with respect to the body of the arc chamber andarranged to emit electrons into the interior of the arc chamber whichare then accelerated by the bias voltage. The cathodes 108 are typicallyheated to provide thermionic emission of electrons and the heating maybe either direct or indirect in accordance with known art.

A gas containing atoms of the species desired to implanted is introducedinto the arc chamber 102 by a conduit which is not shown in FIG. 8. Inthis embodiment, this gas is hydrogen. The energetic electrons emittedby the cathodes 108 interact with molecules of the hydrogen gas, toproduce a plasma containing H⁺ ions.

A front wall, on the right in FIG. 8, extends along a linear dimensionof the arc chamber 102 and contains an extraction slit 109 aligned withsaid linear dimension, through which desired H⁺ ions can be extractedfrom the ion source to form the desired ion beam. The cathodes 108 arelocated facing each other along said linear dimension and provide aplasma space between them which extends over the full length of theextraction slit 109. To operate the ion source, the extractionelectrodes 107 are transferred, by operating the linkages 110, to theleft in FIG. 8 to be proximate to the front face of the arc chamberoutside the slit 109. The body of the arc chamber 102 is biasedpositively relative to the extraction electrodes 107, to provide anelectric field between the extraction electrodes 107 and plasma withinthe arc chamber 102, which draws positive ions from the arc chamber outthrough the slit 109 and through corresponding slits in the electrodes107 to form the desired ion beam.

Importantly, in this embodiment, the extraction slit 109 of the ionsource is relatively long in the plane of the paper of FIG. 8,substantially matching the dimensions of the slits 111 (FIG. 7) in theextraction electrodes 107, in order that the beam extracted from the ionsource has the desired shape as a ribbon beam with a major dimension, inthe plane of the paper of FIG. 8, of at least 100 mm, and sufficient toextend over the full width of wafers to be implanted.

It is normal practice for an ion source of the type described, to applya magnetic field extending along said linear dimension within the arcchamber 102 in a plane containing the extraction slit 109, and betweenthe opposed cathodes 108, in the direction of the arrow marked B in FIG.8. The magnetic field B in the arc chamber 102 tends to confineelectronics being accelerated from the cathodes 108 to a region alongthe line between the two cathodes, because the electrons are forced tospiral around the flux lines of the magnetic field. In this way, thedesired plasma in the arc chamber 102 is produced more efficiently andis also confined by the magnetic field to this linear region,immediately in front of the extraction slit 109 in the front face of thechamber.

In the present embodiment, the magnetic field B within the arc chamber102 is produced by a pair of saddle coils 112, 113 located outside andaround the cylindrical element 105 and surrounding the arc chamber 102.The saddle coils 112 and 113, are arranged symmetrically on either sideof a plane normal to and bisecting the line joining the cathodes 108,and also normal to and bisecting the extraction slit 109 of the arcchamber 102. The saddle coil 112 comprises opposed semi-circularportions 112 a and 112 b interconnected by axial portions 112 c and 112d (which latter is not visible in FIG. 7). The second saddle coil 113 issimilarly formed of semi-circular portions 113 a and 113 binterconnected by axial portions 113 c and 113 d. The two coil sections112, 113 are connected in series to produce a homogenous magnetic fieldacross the arc chamber 102 aligned in the direction of the arrow B inFIG. 8. Importantly, no ferromagnetic core is used with the saddlecoils.

Saddle coil structures of this kind are known to provide a substantialregion of homogeneity of a magnetic field within the space encompassedby the coils. Importantly, a magnetic field produced by the saddle coils112, 113 can be uniform over a substantial distance in the magneticfield direction, so that the field within the arc chamber can be veryuniform over the full height of the arc chamber between the opposedcathodes 108. FIG. 9 is a plot of magnetic field strength B againstdistance D from the center line of the extracted beam, i.e. half waybetween the cathodes 108 within the arc chamber 102. A field variationfrom 125.6 Gauss at the center point (on the beam axis) to 126.4 Gaussat a distance of 75 mm off axis is illustrated, constituting a variationof less than 1%. By providing this very uniform field within the arcchamber over the full length of the extraction slit 109, uniform plasmaconditions can be provided also over the full length of the slit, sothat the extracted ribbon beam can have a uniform intensity over thefull width of its major dimension.

More generally, a magnetic field device is required to provide saidmagnetic field in the arc chamber having a flux density which has anon-uniformity less than 5% along said linear dimension over the lengthof the extraction slit.

In the described embodiment, the cylindrical element 105 is made ofstainless steel and is permeable to magnetic field. The length of theslit 109 may be 160 mm to produce a ribbon beam of that major dimension.The ion source may be biased at 100 keV relative to the cylindricalelement 105 and the final element of the extraction electrodecombination, so that the ribbon beam delivered from the source towardsthe magnetic filter 17 is 100 keV.

The magnetic field strength or flux density required within the arcchamber for good performance may be equal to or less than 500 Gauss, andin embodiments may be between 200 and 300 Gauss. The electric powerneeded to produce such a field using the saddle coils disclosed is inthe order of 500 watts.

It has been mentioned previously herein that the ribbon beam reachingthe wafers on the process wheel 14 should provide a uniform dose to theimplanted wafers in the radial direction relative to the axis ofrotation of the wheel 14. In order to exfoliate films of silicon, H⁺ions should be implanted with a dose, for example, of 5E16 (5×10¹⁶/cm²).Although the requirements for dosing and uniformity for exfoliation arenot as severe as in the production of semiconductor devices, a uniformdose is desirable not only to ensure good exfoliation performancewithout damage, but also to maximize production efficiency.

It will be appreciated that the speed at which the different parts of awafer mounted on the process wheel 14 passes through the ribbon beam isproportional to the radial distance (R) from the rotation axis of thewheel (see FIG. 4). As a result, the dose implanted to a wafer using aribbon beam which has a perfectly uniform intensity across the majordimension of the ribbon (which extends radially relative to the wheel)will vary with 1/R. To compensate for this, in one embodiment, theribbon beam is modified to have an intensity gradient along the majordimension of the ribbon which is proportional to R. In the embodiment,this is achieved by adapting the design of the magnetic filter 17.

As mentioned previously, this magnet is arranged to bend the ribbon beamin the plane of the ribbon. The magnet 17 is designed to receive aribbon beam of the desired width directly from the source and to delivera ribbon beam of substantially the same width, but containing only H⁺ions (in this embodiment) towards the accelerator column 18 forsubsequent implantation. This functionality can be seen from theschematic drawing of FIG. 10. Conventionally, a ribbon shaped ion beamis defined in Cartesian co-ordinates x, y, z, where x is the majorcross-sectional dimension of the ribbon beam, y is the minorcross-sectional dimension of the beam, and z is the direction of thebeam. In FIG. 10, a ribbon beam of the desired dimension in x isproduced by an ion source 120 and enters magnet structure 17. The beamis substantially parallel across the x-dimension. In the magnetstructure, the ribbon beam is bent through about 90° in the plane of theribbon and emerges as a parallel ribbon beam 121 having substantiallythe same width (in x) as the beam originally extracted from the ionsource.

The magnet structure 17 provides regions of magnetic field across theribbon beam in the y direction. The magnetic field is homogeneous rightacross the x direction of the ribbon. As is known to those skilled inthe art, charge particles moving in such a field, show a curved pathwith a radius which is a function of momentum and charge (mv/e). Magnetstructures of this general kind are used in ion implantation tools tofilter ion beams extracted from an ion source in order to prevent allexcept a desired species of ion reaching the wafer for implantation.When implanting dopants in the structuring of silicon to produceelectronic devices, relatively high resolution may be required of themagnetic filter, in order to distinguish the desired dopant ions fromothers in the extracted beam having very similar values of mv/e. In suchmagnetic filters, a narrow mass selection slit is commonly used at theexit of the magnetic filter in order to provide the required massresolution. It is then important that the magnetic filter acts to bringions of the same mv/e effectively to a focus in the bending plane of themagnet at the exit of the filter where the mass selection slit can belocated to provide good resolution.

By comparison, the magnetic structure 17 in the present embodiment doesnot attempt to bring ions of the same mv/e to a focus in the xdirection, but indeed retains the full width of the ribbon beam on exitfrom the filter. This can provide satisfactory mass resolution in theparticular application of this embodiment, because the desired ion forimplantation is typically H⁺. Contaminant ions in the beam extractedfrom the ion source 120 all have much higher masses which are a multipleof the mass of the hydrogen ion and so can easily be discriminated. Infact likely contaminants in the ion beam will barely be deflected by themagnetic structure 17.

The challenge for the magnetic structure 17 is to ensure eliminationfrom the beam delivered for implantation of other hydrogen ions in thebeam, particularly H₂ ⁺, and also half energy H⁺ ions. The plasma in theion source 120 formed from hydrogen gas will typically contain both H⁺and H₂ ⁺ ions (as well as some larger molecular hydrogen ions). H₂ ⁺ions having twice the mass of H⁺ ions would tend to follow paths such asindicated by the dotted lines 122 in FIG. 10. Half energy H⁺ ions areproduced by dissociation or breakdown of H₂ ⁺ ions after beingaccelerated from the ion source 120 and before or entering the magneticstructure 17. These half energy ions may follow tracks as illustrated bythe dotted lines 123 in FIG. 10.

The magnetic structure 17 in the present embodiment is required asexplained above only to discriminate essentially between ions with mv/ewhich are a factor of √{square root over (2)} or more, higher or lower,than the desired H⁺ ions. Because the bending magnet is arranged toretain the ribbon beam and bend the beam in the plane of the ribbon, asubstantial overall amount of bend is required to ensure even this levelof resolution. The overall bend applied to the ribbon beam by themagnetic structure 17 should be at least 75° and is 90° in thisembodiment. A smaller bend will require a longer flight path for thebeam between exiting the magnetic structure and entering the acceleratorcolumn 18.

Referring now to FIG. 11, this is a schematic representation of theshape of the homogeneous magnetic field in the magnet structure 17, andits effect on the ribbon beam. A single region 125 of homogeneousmagnetic field is illustrated having a linear edge 126 at the entrancefor the ribbon beam 127, which is arranged at 45° to the input beamdirection. The field region has an exit edge 128 which is parallel tothe entrance edge 126. If the field strength within the region 125 isset in relation to the mv/e value of the desired ions in the incomingbeam, so that the central incoming beamlet 129 bends through 90° in themagnetic field region 125, then the exit edge 128 will also form anangle of 45° to the leaving beam 130. Beam ions with the desired mv/evalue will follow circular paths within the homogeneous magnetic fieldregion 125 having radius r, and it can be seen that, in the x dimensionof the beam (as defined above) the ribbon beam will have the same majordimension on exit as on entry, and the beamlets across the ribbon of theexit beam 130 are parallel (in the xz plane), assuming the beamlets ofthe entrance beam 127 are parallel in the xz plane. Importantly also,the intensity distribution of the beam across the x direction isunchanged.

If the normal to the entrance field edge 126 is at an angle α (ratherthan 45° as illustrated in FIG. 11) to the incoming beam, an incomingribbon beam of width 2d emerges from the magnet at the exit edge 128with a width 2d tan α. For example, if the entrance edge 126 is at 55°,the ribbon width is expanded at the exit by 42%.

FIG. 12 shows the effect of forming the entrance edge 126 with a convexcurvature, the dashed line in FIG. 12. If the edge 126 is still at 45°to the central beamlet 129 of the incoming beam, this beam emergesthrough the exit edge 128 unaffected by the curvature of the entranceedge 126. However, the radially inner beamlet 130 emerges from the edge128 displaced towards the central beamlet 129 by an amount Δx_(i), andthe radially outer beamlet 131 emerges at edge 128 displaced away fromthe central beamlet by an approximately similar amount Δx_(o). This isillustrated in FIG. 12 by the dashed lines in the output beam 132. Apartfrom the small displacement of the inner and outer beamlets 130 and 131at the exit field edge 128, the direction of these beamlets is at asmall angle to the central beamlet 129. It can be seen in fact that eachof the inner and outer beamlets 130 and 131 has traveled a slightlyshorter distance within the homogeneous magnetic field region 125compared to the central beamlet 129, and so they are bent slightly lessthan 90°. If a concave curvature is applied to the exit field edge 128,as shown in FIG. 13, this deviation of the emerging angle of the innerand outer beamlets 130 and 131 can be corrected, so that the beamlets ofthe emerging ribbon beam are again parallel. However, there remains adisplacement of the radially inner beamlet 130 towards the centerbeamlet 129, and of the radially outer beamlet 131 away from the centralbeamlet 129. The effect of this displacement of the beamlets in theribbon beam passing through the magnetic field region 125 can be toapply a variation in beam intensity across the x direction of the ribbonbeam exiting from the magnet. It can be seen from FIG. 13 that thebeamlets on the left of the center line of the emerging beam 130 areslightly compressed in FIG. 13, and beamlets to the right of the centerbeam are slightly expanded (in the x direction of the beam), so that thebeam intensity on the inner left hand edge of the ribbon beam isincreased relative to the beam intensity at the right hand edge of theemerging beam.

A ray departing from the source at a lateral position x_(s), parallel tothe input ribbon axes arrives at a position x in the image space. Forthe case of a simple bend with parallel entrance and exit pole edges 126and 128 with normal to entrance pole edge 126 at an angle α to the inputbeam direction, x is proportional to x_(s). Approximately, x=x_(s) tanα. For the case of α=45 deg, as shown in FIG. 11, x=x_(s). Regardless ofthe value of α, the intensity is constant as a function of x—i.e.

$\begin{matrix}{{I_{0} = \frac{N}{x}},} & 1\end{matrix}$

where the quantity dN refers to the number of particles falling in aspatial distance dx.If an adjustment in the magnetic bending field shifts the ray in imagespace to a new location

x=f(x),   2

the new intensity is

$\begin{matrix}{{I\left( \overset{\_}{x} \right)} = {\frac{N}{\overset{\_}{x}} = {{I_{0}/\frac{f}{x}} = {I_{0}{\frac{x}{\overset{\_}{x}}.}}}}} & 3\end{matrix}$

If the new intensity distribution compensates for the target substraterotating about an axis parallel to but displaced from the central axesof the output ribbon beam by an amount R₀, then necessarily,

$\begin{matrix}{{I\left( \overset{\_}{x} \right)} = {{I_{0}\left( {1 - \frac{\overset{\_}{x}}{R_{0}}} \right)}.}} & 4\end{matrix}$

Combining equations 3 and 4 we arrive at the simple differentialequation

$\begin{matrix}{\frac{x}{\overset{\_}{x}} = {1 - {\frac{\overset{\_}{x}}{R_{0}}.}}} & 5\end{matrix}$

Applying the boundary condition x=0 when x=0, gives

$\begin{matrix}{x = {\overset{\_}{x} - {\frac{{\overset{\_}{x}}^{2}}{2R_{0}}.}}} & 6\end{matrix}$

The solution of the quadratic equation for x is

$\begin{matrix}{\overset{\_}{x} = {{R_{0}\left( {1 - \sqrt{1 - \frac{2x}{R_{0}}}} \right)}.}} & 7\end{matrix}$

Given x<<R₀, it is instructive to expand the solution in powers of x asfollows:

$\begin{matrix}{{\overset{\_}{x} = {x + {\frac{R_{0}}{2}\left( \frac{x}{R_{0}} \right)^{2}} + {\frac{R_{0}}{2}\left( \frac{x}{R_{0}} \right)^{3}\mspace{14mu} \ldots}}}\mspace{14mu},} & 8\end{matrix}$

Thus, the displacement of a ray Δx from its unadjusted position x is

$\begin{matrix}{{{\Delta \; x} = {{\overset{\_}{x} - x} = {R_{0}\left\{ {{\frac{1}{2}\left( \frac{x}{R_{0}} \right)^{2}} + {\frac{1}{2}\left( \frac{x}{R_{0}} \right)^{3}\mspace{14mu} \ldots}}\mspace{14mu} \right\}}}},} & 9\end{matrix}$

and the relative displacement Δx/R₀ varies approximately as the squareof x/R₀.Circular field edge curvatures are effective in providing radialintensity correction because they produce an adjustment to the relativeray position Δx/R₀ which happens to depend on the square of x/R₀.

Although FIG. 11 shows the homogeneous magnetic field region as havingsolid linear edges 126 and 128, in fact there will be fringing fields atthese edges. The homogeneous field region 125 would be formed bycorrespondingly shaped magnetic poles located above and below the ribbonbeam with a gap between them to accommodate the small dimension (y) ofthe beam passing between the poles. At the entrance and exit edges ofthe magnetic pole pieces, fringing fields would have field componentsabove and below the median plane between the two poles, in the xdirection, and it can be seen that the proportion of the x component ofmagnetic field in these fringing regions depends upon the angle abetween the beam entering (or leaving) the field region and the normalto the pole edge.

Beam particles that enter the homogeneous field region above or belowthe median symmetry plane of the magnet experience a magnetic force inthe y direction as they pass through the curved fringing field lines.Referring to FIG. 13, the entry angle of the beam relative to the normalto the homogeneous field edge is α_(s) and the exit angle is α_(i). Forpositive values of α in each case, the magnetic force on particlespassing through the fringing fields is focusing, that is acting on theparticles in a direction towards the median plane. This phenomenon isdescribed quantitatively by H. A. Enge (Focusing of Charged Particles,Vol II, Ed. A. Septier, Academic Press, 1962, p215). The ion opticalfocal length associated with the fringing field is given by

${f = \frac{r}{\tan \; \alpha}},$

where r is the bending radius of the particles in homogeneous field ofthe magnet and α is the rotation relative to the input (and output) beamdirection, that is as illustrated in FIG. 13. For a particle divergingfrom the median plane of the beam at a distance p in front of theentrance field edge of the magnetic, the y focusing effect will causethe particle subsequently to cross the median plane at some distance qfrom the exit edge of the magnetic field. Distances p and q areillustrated in FIG. 11. The position of the input beam which is adistance p in front of the input field edge can be regarded as anoptical line object in being the position from which particles begin todiverge from the median plane. The distance q can be regarded as thedistance from the exit edge to a conjugate image of the input lineobject.

For the case of a 90° bend with both α_(s) and α_(i)=45°, as shown inFIG. 11, a plot of q/r versus p/r is as shown in FIG. 14. The verticallines in FIG. 14 correspond from left to right to the object distancesfor the radially innermost (relative to the bend radius r of themagnet), the center and the radially outermost beamlets of the ribbonbeam, for a typical geometry where the source is located at a distanceof approximately 2r before the magnet. It should be noted (as shown inFIG. 11) that the image distances (q/r) for these three beamlets arequite different which results in a line 135 across the exiting ribbonbeam representing the image of the source or object line 136 of theentry beam 127. As can be seen, this image line 135 is highly skewedrelative to the direction of the exit beam 130.

Such a highly rotated y image plane is undesirable for the exit beam130, where beam particles must travel some distance and also passthrough an accelerator before reaching the target substrate.

The angle of the y image 135 in the exit beam 130 can be altered bychanging the shape of the entrance and/or exit edges 126,128 of thehomogeneous field region. However, it is not possible to obtain both adesired intensity variation across the beam width, as described above,and a desired correction to the y image angle, with just a singleentrance edge 126 and exit edge 128.

Referring again to FIG. 10, the magnet structure 17 is separated intotwo pole pairs 140 and 141. The construction of the magnet structure 17can best be understood from FIGS. 15 and 16.

FIG. 15 is a simplified perspective view of the magnet structure takenalong a line 142 in FIG. 10, but from a position slightly beyond theplane of the paper of FIG. 10. FIG. 16 is a view taken along thedirection of arrow 143 in FIG. 10, and again from slightly beyond theplane of the paper. In FIG. 16, an upper half of the magnet assembly hasbeen removed to provide a clear view of the pole faces of the lower halfof the structure. The magnet assembly comprises a first pair of opposingmagnetic pole pieces 140 a and 140 b. The pole pieces 140 a and 140 bpresent pole faces of corresponding shape to each other with a spacingbetween them sufficient to accommodate the y dimension of the ribbonbeam. Referring particularly to FIG. 16, the faces of pole pieces 140 aand 140 b present a convex entrance edge profile 145, and a concave exitedge profile 146. The magnet structure 17 further has a second pair ofopposed pole pieces 141 a and 141 b. These second pole pieces are alsoshaped correspondingly, to provide a similar gap in the y direction toaccommodate the ribbon beam. The faces of the second pole pieces 141 aand 141 b present a concave entrance edge profile 147 and a convex exitedge profile 148.

The magnet structure is energized by windings 150, 151 on the opposingpole pieces, and the poles are magnetically interconnected by an ironyoke structure 152. Importantly, the windings 150, 151 are arranged toensure that the magnetic field between each pair of pole pieces 140 a,140 b and 141 a, 141 b has the same polarity, to bend the ribbon beam inthe same direction. Both of pole pieces 140 a and 141 a may be embracedby a common winding 150, and pole pieces 140 b and 141 b may be embracedby a common winding 151. However, separate windings may be provided oneach individual pole piece either as well or instead of the commonwindings, if it is desired to independently control the field strengthbetween each pair of pole pieces 140 a, 140 b, 141 a, 141 b. Separatewindings also minimize the residual magnetic field in the region betweenthe two poles.

By providing two sets of pole pieces, presenting a total of fourhomogeneous field edge profiles to the ribbon beam, additional degreesof freedom are provided for obtaining simultaneously both control of theintensity distribution in the x direction of the exit ribbon beam, andalso correction of the y angle image plane to bring this towards adesired perpendicular direction across the exit beam 130.

In practice, the second pair of poles 141 a, 141 b are arranged toprovide curved edges to the homogeneous field region such that somey-defocusing is applied to the radially outer beamlets of the ribbonbeam. Defocusing in the y direction occurs if the angle between thebeamlet approaching an entrance edge and the normal to the edge at thatpoint is negative (angles α_(s) and α_(i) as shown in FIG. 13 beingregarded as positive).

With the magnetic structure of FIGS. 15 and 16, a total beam bend of 90°is obtained with a first bend of 60° followed by a second bend of 30°.The pole edge shapes of the two pole pairs 140 a, 140 b, 141 a, 141 bare coordinated to achieve simultaneously a desired radial intensityvariation to correct for the 1/R speed variation of wafers passingthrough the beam, and to produce a conjugate image line of the sourceslit in the exit beam from the magnet structure which is at a prescribedlocation at the entrance of the accelerator stack 18 and issubstantially perpendicular to the ribbon beam direction. In this waythe magnetic structure can focus an image of the source line near a yfocusing plane of the accelerator stack 18 (see FIG. 1).

In order to determine the correct shape for the pole edges in the magnetstructure, the pole edges can be described as mathematical polynomialsof the fourth order (for example), or as cubic splines, and thendetermining the polynomial or spline coefficients by a standardmathematical optimisation technique, for example the cubic convergentmethod described by Donald A. Pierce (Optimization Theory WithApplications, Doves Publications, Inc., 1986, pp 274-322).

In summary, the magnet structure 17 is designed to provide the followingfunctionality:

-   a) to accommodate a ribbon beam of at least 100 mm major    cross-sectional dimension and to bend the ribbon beam in the plane    of the ribbon;-   b) to provide a sufficient overall bend to the beam, to spatially    resolve from desired beam ions, ions which have mv/e values a factor    of √{square root over (2)} or more, higher or lower, than the    desired ions. In one embodiment this resolution is achieved within    the footprint of the magnet structure i.e. by the exit aperture    plate of the magnet. However, it is important for this resolution to    be achieved before the exit aperture of accelerator stack, in order    to avoid unwanted ions from reaching the target substrate;-   c) the pole pieces of the magnet structure are shaped to provide    regions, at the edges of the homogeneous field regions, which are    shaped to adjust the intensity of the exit ribbon beam, in the x    direction, to provide dose compensation at wafers on the implant    wheel for the dependence on wafer speed with radial distance R from    the wheel axis; and-   d) at the same time as c) above, the fringing field profiles within    the magnet structure are adapted to bring the exit beam to focus in    the y direction in a plane transverse to the exit beam which is    substantially perpendicular to the beam, and at a location near to    the input object focal point of the accelerator stack 18.

As described above, these objectives can be achieved by providing twopairs of poles in the magnet structure providing homogeneous magneticfields of the same polarity across the plane of the ribbon beam, andhaving respective entrance and exit pole edges curved to provide thedesired intensity variation and y focusing effect. Although two sets ofpoles have been disclosed, similar objectives could be achieved withmore than two sets of poles, or by a single pole set with recessed polefaces in the in the region between the entrance and exit pole edges.

A variety of embodiments have been provided for clarity andcompleteness. Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to oneof ordinary skill in the art when informed by the present specification.Detailed methods of and systems for implantation have been describedherein, but any other methods and systems can be used while the resultsfall within the scope of the invention.

The foregoing detailed description has described only a few of the manyforms that this invention can take. For this reason, this detaileddescription is intended by way of illustration, and not by way oflimitation. It is only the following claims, including all equivalents,which are intended to define the scope of this invention

1. Ion implantation apparatus comprising: a vacuum chamber with achamber wall and a detachable cooling fluid connection in said vacuum,said detachable fluid connection having a seal structure to preventcooling fluid leaking into said vacuum chamber, and said seal structurecomprising first and second seals in tandem forming an intermediatechamber between said tandem seals; and a venting conduit within saidvacuum chamber connecting said intermediate chamber through said chamberwall to the exterior of the vacuum chamber.
 2. Ion implantationapparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: at least one vacuumport through said chamber wall for evacuation of said vacuum chamberthrough said port; a workpiece support in said vacuum chamber forsupporting a workpiece to be implanted; a cooling fluid channel in saidworkpiece support for cooling fluid to cool a workpiece on said supportduring implantation; and a fluid conduit to supply cooling fluid to saidcooling fluid channel from outside said vacuum chamber, said fluidconduit comprising at least one fluid conducting member and at least onesaid detachable fluid connection to connect to said fluid conductingmember.
 3. Ion implantation apparatus as claimed in claim 2, furthercomprising: at least one vacuum pump connected to said vacuum port toevacuate said vacuum chamber; and a further vacuum pump connected tosaid venting conduit to provide evacuation of said intermediate chamberindependently of said vacuum chamber.
 4. Ion implantation apparatus asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said venting conduit is vented to atmosphereoutside said vacuum chamber.
 5. Ion implantation apparatus as claimed inclaim 2, wherein a said fluid conducting member comprises a mountingblock to which said workpiece support is attached, said mounting blockproviding a cooling fluid passage, and a said detachable fluidconnection being provided between said fluid passage in said mountingblock and said cooling channel in said workpiece support.
 6. Ionimplantation apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein a further saidfluid conducting member comprises a cooling fluid pipe having a furthersaid detachable fluid connection to said fluid passage in said mountingblock.
 7. Ion implantation apparatus as claimed in claim 2, furthercomprising: a workpiece support wheel mounted for rotation in saidvacuum chamber about an axis, said support wheel having a plurality ofsaid workpiece supports located at a common radius around a periphery ofsaid wheel, whereby rotation of said wheel passes workpieces on saidsupports successively through an implant location along a circular scanpath defined by said wheel periphery, wherein said workpiece supportwheel has a hub mounted for rotation about said axis; a continuousperipheral annulus providing said workpiece supports; and a plurality ofspokes providing support for said annulus centered on said hub in awheel plane normal to said axis, wherein at least some of said spokesare tubular, and said at least one fluid conducting member is providedby said tubular spokes to carry said cooling fluid between said hub andsaid peripheral annulus for cooling said workpieces.
 8. Ion implantationapparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said peripheral annuluscontains passages for cooling fluid and each said tubular spoke has asaid detachable fluid connection to said annulus passages; and whereinsaid support wheel includes a venting pipe, providing at least a part ofsaid venting conduit, extending in said vacuum chamber from said annulusto said hub.
 9. Ion implantation apparatus as claimed in claim 8,wherein said hub contains passages for supplying said cooling fluid toand from said tubular spokes; and wherein each said tubular spoke has asaid fluid connection to one of said hub passages.
 10. Ion implantationapparatus for performing an ion implantation process to implant ionsinto multiple planar workpieces, said apparatus comprising: a vacuumchamber with a vacuum chamber wall and at least one vacuum port throughsaid vacuum chamber wall for evacuation of said vacuum chamber throughsaid port; an ion beam generator in said vacuum chamber arranged toform, during said implantation process, a beam of ions for implanting,said beam being directed to an implant location; and a workpiece supportwheel mounted for rotation in said vacuum chamber about an axis, saidsupport wheel having a plurality of workpiece supports located around aperiphery of said wheel, whereby rotation of said wheel passesworkpieces upon said supports successively through said implantlocation, said workpiece support wheel comprising: a hub mounted forrotation about said axis; a continuous peripheral annulus providing saidworkpiece supports; and a plurality of spokes providing support for saidannulus centered on said hub in a wheel plane normal to said axis;wherein at least some of said spokes are tubular to carry cooling fluidbetween said hub and said peripheral annulus, and wherein saidperipheral annulus contains passages for cooling fluid and each saidtubular spoke has a fluid connection to said annulus passages comprisingfirst and second seals in tandem to prevent cooling fluid leaking intosaid vacuum chamber, said first and second seals forming an intermediatechamber between said seals; and wherein said support wheel includes aventing conduit connected to said intermediate chamber and extending insaid vacuum chamber from said annulus to said hub, for connectiontherefrom through said chamber wall to the exterior of said vacuumchamber.
 11. Ion implantation apparatus as claimed in claim 10, furthercomprising: at least one vacuum pump connected to said vacuum port toevacuate said vacuum chamber; and a further vacuum pump connected tosaid venting conduit to provide evacuation of said intermediate chamberindependently of said vacuum chamber.
 12. Ion implantation apparatus asclaimed in claim 10, wherein said venting conduit is vented toatmosphere outside said vacuum chamber.
 13. Ion implantation apparatusas claimed in claim 10, wherein said hub contains passages for supplyingcooling fluid to and from said tubular spokes, and each said tubularspoke has a said fluid connection to one of said hub passages.
 14. Amethod of sealing a detachable cooling fluid connection in the vacuumchamber of an ion implantation apparatus comprising the steps of:providing first and second seals in tandem forming an intermediatechamber between said seals; and venting said intermediate chamber to theexterior of said vacuum chamber.
 15. The method of sealing a detachablecooling fluid connection in the vacuum chamber of an ion implantationapparatus of claim 14, wherein said venting of said intermediate chamberis done to atmosphere outside said vacuum chamber.
 16. The method ofsealing a detachable cooling fluid connection in the vacuum chamber ofan ion implantation apparatus of claim 14, wherein said venting is doneby purging said intermediate chamber with dry gas.
 17. The method ofsealing a detachable cooling fluid connection in the vacuum chamber ofan ion implantation apparatus of claim 14, wherein said venting is doneby vacuum pumping said intermediate chamber separately from the interiorof said vacuum chamber.